Thanks to all of the wonderful help on this forum I was really comfortable with being in Hong Kong on my own for a few days before joining my friends for a trip to China. More on China later.

I flew on Cathay Pacific LAX to Hong Kong,an uneventful 15.5 hrs, that landed me in HK at 7:30 a.m. . By 9:00 I had cleared customs, gotten my luggage, bought an Airport Express round trip (at a discount thanks to rkkwan) my Octopus Card, took the AE to Hong Kong Station,and finally a taxi to the hotel. By 9:15 I was checked into the City Garden Hotel.

I wanted to hit the ground running, so at 11:00 after a shower and rest I took the MTR to the Jordan stop with the idea of lunch and the Jade Market. Coming out of the station I noticed "Light Vegetarian Restaraunt". Had a great 40HKD buffet lunch seated at a communal table. Met some really nice people and one of the girls offered to show me around the city. We went to the Jade Market and the Ladies Market.VEry fun. Returned to the hotel and crashed by 8. (I ended up eating at the Light Veg. 3 times).

The next morning it was up early to catch the bus to Po Lin Monastary. SInce it was Sunday I was able to take a bus from outside of the Islamic center on Nathan Road directly to Po Lin. THis was a real highlight of the trip. Had a cheap lunch at their veggy restaraunt and took another bus to Tai O fishing villiage. What a fun place. There were clotheslines with clothes and fish drying on the same line. Bus to ferry station, I just missed the slow ferry so I hopped the fast ferry back to the city and a taxi back to the hotel.

By this time 3 more of the group had assembled and we had dinner at "Light Veg" (I love this place). Dinner was 92 HKD and included the buffet and hot pot dinner as well.

The next morning the whole group of 9 was there and we left for CHina, which I will get to later. We returned to HK for 2 1/2 days at the end of our trip and here's what we did:
Stanley Market, Victoria Peak,Jumbo Floating Restaraunt (our only bad meal of the entire 17 days, terrible service as well)
had dresses made at "Nita Fashions" which had been recommended to us by someone's brother who lives in Hk, ate a fabulous and expensivemeal at "Veda" recommended by the owners of Nita and back to "Light Veg" with the whole group, Rode the StarFerry and a double decker bus.

I loved Hk. It is so safe and easy to get around in. THe MTR is great and if you cant get where you want togo on MTR, cabs are cheap and pleantiful.

Thanks again to all,especially rkkwan for the advise and encouragement.

Lynnie

You're very welcome. I'm especially glad that you like the visit to the Po Lin Monastery, and the direct Sunday bus worked for you. [You're the first person I know who've taken this direct bus.]

Recently on another forum, someone was saying how disappointed he was from his trip to the Po Lin Monastery - he did it all on taxi. Nice to hear some reassurance that it's still a highlight for others.

I'm going to investigate the Chinese name for "Light Vegetarian Restaurant" at Jordan. Do you happen to have their street address?

Hey, that restaurant is highly recommended on this site:

http://www.ivu.org/hkvegan/gb/hkrest.html

Looks like you really find a gem!

The bus ride was great. It probably took a little longer than the MTR/bus combo, about 2 hours, but the ride was scenic and a good overview of the city and it was cheap!! $40HKD 1 way.

If you go to the restaraunt, something interesting to note is that as they run out of a dish on the buffet they replace it with something different so you need to pace yourself. The warm tapioca pudding was to die for.

Hy Lynnie,
great report - reading this I get really excited about going to Hong Kong. I fly with 3 fellow travellers on May, 5th for 5 nites - staying at the New World Ren. Hotel. It is my first time to HKG. So I'm really looking to my trip.
Any more interesting tips for me??
Thx

Was language a problem at any of the places you went, especially the restaurants?.....or did you have to use some Cantonese??

BigJim, there was no language barrier at all on HK. Most places people spoke at least rudimentary english, and if not, there was always another diner ready and willing to help out. In China I was glad to have a guide with us as people speak only Chinese generally.

Sylvia, I can't wait to go back to Hk some day soon, hopefully with my husband and teenager. The highlights were: every aspect of the day trip to Po Lin/Tai O including the transportation. I would like to spend more time hiking at the peak (Victoria), the tram ride up (total ride about 10 minutes from the city center) was lots of fun. Just walking around at the locals markets and gawking at the strange goods (3 foot long tails of some big animal with the skin and hair on them, live chickens, etc) and of course the cheap lunch at the Light Vegetarian are things I really want to share with them.

I took the MTR alot since I was trying to sandwich in alot, but I would take the bus more if I had more time.

Have a blast!!! Lynnie

Lynnie - I looked up the Chinese name and address of Light Vegetarian Restaurant, and can't say I know about it. However, my mom may have eaten at their North Point shop, though.

[BTW, just in case it's not clear to everybody, the "Light" in the restaurant's name isn't about calories in the food, but it's the Light of Buddha.]

Just want to add that I just read an article about the new cable car between Tung Chung and Po Lin Monastery. It'll open early next year, and will totally change the scene at Ngong Ping. Instead of a long 45-minute bus ride over a mountain pass on a one-lane road, it'll be a 10-minute cable car ride. That also means tonnes of tourists, and that area will never be the same. It's an unfortunate result of economics. I'm glad you went this time.